Joist supporting device

ABSTRACT

A device used to position the joist in weight supporting relation relative to a concrete pour or slab and comprising a shoe which engages the lower extremity of a supporting leg which in turn engages and positions the joist in weight supporting relation. A wedge member is movably positioned in supporting engagement with the bottom of the shoe and is maintained in movable engagement therewith by means of a bracket integrally formed on the shoe. Positioning the wedge in a sandwiched-like fashion between the shoe and a lower flange of a supporting beam or the like serves to maintain the leg in proper position relative to the joist.

[ 1 June 12, 1973 JOIST SUPPORTING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Alan P. Arnett, 3050 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[22] Filed: Aug. 4, 1971 211 App]. No.: 168,890

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 99,003, Dec. 17,

1970, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 248/228, 248/235, 249/23,

[51] Int. Cl E04g 3/00, A47g 29/02 Field of Search 248/228, 235, 354 R, 248/354 C, 354 P, 354 S; 249/23, 24, 25; 254/104 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,979 1/1905 Correll 248/354 S 2,539,703 1/1951 S ato 254/104 Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, Jr.

Attorney-Stefan M. Stein [57] ABSTRACT A device used to position the joist in weight supporting relation relative to a concrete pour or slab and comprising a shoe which engages the lower extremity of a supporting leg which in turn engages and positions the joist in weight supporting relation. A wedge member is movably positioned in supporting engagement with the bottom of the shoe and is maintained in movable engagement therewith by means of a bracket integrally formed on the shoe. Positioning the wedge in a sandwiched-like fashion between the shoe and a lower flange of a supporting beam or the like serves to maintain the leg in proper position relative to the joist.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing; Figures Patented June 12, 1913 3,738,603

FIG.4

INVENTOR. ALAN P. ARNETT ATTORNEYS.

JOIST SUPPORTING DEVICE This is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application, Ser. No. 99,003 filed Dec. 17, 1970 for a Joist Leg Wedge Shoe which is now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a device used to maintain a leg in a joist supporting relation relative to a concrete slab or the like wherein the shoe is adjustably positioned relative to a supporting beam on which the device is mounted.

2. Description of the Prior Art I Various prior art devices and apparatus exist in the construction industry which are primarily designed for the positioning and supporting the joist members. These devices include relatively crude makeshift items such as two or more boards connected together by any conventional means and braced or propped underneath ajoist member. The joist is thereby positioned in weight supporting relation to a concrete slab or other structure which the joist is intended to support. It can be seen that this type is apparatus is unreliable, often times dangerous and generally is considered an inefficient means to properly position a joist in weight supporting relation to a given structure.

In an attempt to overcome the obvious deficiencies in such makeshift devices, the construction industry has devised and utilized a plurality of relatively complicated structures which, while generally considered more reliable, and less dangerous, are often times too costly due to the relative complexity of these devices.

The more complex prior art joist supporting devices are often times made adjustable, usually by means of telescopically arranged shafts which serve as the main support arm of the device. These shafts maybe movably positioned relative to one another so that the device itself may be operably positioned relative to the joist it supports. These devices often times extend from a floor, which serves as a supporting surface, upwardly to the joist which is mounted at the top of the device and which serves to support the flooring or ceiling structure which is being constructed on the next level or story of the building, for example. Because of their design, and the fact that they are intended to be positioned in this manner, these devices are necessarily large, extremely bulky and hard to transport to different construction sites. In addition, due to their relatively complex nature these devices are initially expensive and costly to maintain once the device is put into use.

Prior art devices have attempted to eliminate the disadvantages associated with floor to ceiling devices and accordingly various supporting structures capable of cooperating with a support beam such as an I-beam have been suggested. This type of device maintains the joist, relative to the supporting beam, in a position to support a ceiling or flooring structure in the form of a concrete slab or the like. While these devices have somewhat overcome the bulkiness problem they are still considered to be generally inefficient due to their lack of versatility in being adaptable to various size support beams and in maintaining the proper positioning of the joist member in relation to a structure which it is intended to support.

Accordingly, a definite-need has resulted in the construction industry for a joist supporting device which may be adjustably mounted on a support beam of almost any given size and shape and which efficiently positions a joist member in weight supporting relation to the support beam. In addition, the device should be readily removable from the support beam or the structure when the structure which the joist is intended to support is formed securely in place. Such a device should be of relatively simple construction, inexpensive, yet reliable and durable over anextended period of heavy-duty use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device designed to be mounted on a support beam in the form of an [beam or the like and utilized to maintain a joist inproper position relative to a concrete pour or slab which may form a sealing or floor portion during the construction of the building.

The device comprises a shoe attachable to the lower extremity of a support leg which itself is maintained in supporting relation to the joist. The support leg may be in the form of a two-by-four timber or the like of sufficient length to extend between the bottom surface of the joist and the shoe which is movably positioned it: supported relation to the lower flange ofthe I-bear'n.

A shoe supporting means in the form of a "wedge member is mounted so as to movablyengage and support the undersurface of the shoe. The base of the shoe and the upper portion of the wedge are arranged in substantially parallel relation to one another but angular oriented relative to the longitudinal axisof the leg. The wedge further includes a supporting rib extending substantially perpendicular to the top portion ofthe wedge which engages the base of the shoe. This supporting rib itself movably engages the upper surface of the lower flange of the I-beam. Because of the movable relation between the rib and the I-bearn, and also becauseofthe angular orientation of the base in the upper portion of the wedge, the wedge itself is movable relative to both the I-beam and the shoe. As the wedge is driven in towards the I-beam a wedging action occurs forcing the shoe and leg attached thereto up into supporting engagement with the joist. The joist is thereby maintained in proper position beneath and essentially in contact with the lower surface of the upper flange of the I-beam. In this position the joist is capable of "maintaining a concrete slab in proper position until it hardens to a sufficient degree to maintain its own weight.

The leg itself may be attached directly to the shoe through the use of a plurality of apertures formed in various portions of the shoe. Nails or like fastening means are driven through the apertures and penetrate the leg.

A locking means may be provided on one extremity of the wedge, on the surface which engages the base of the shoe. This locking means may be in the form of a weld bead and positioned such that the shoe is incapa ble of sliding off of the wedge member. This of course prevents disassembly of the shoe from the wedge member and inadvertent removal of the leg and device from the I-beam.

The invention accordingly comprises the features "of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompany drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plane view showing the shoe and wedge member of the present invention in connected relation to one another.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1.

. FIG. 3 is a side view of the shoe and wedge member in slidably extended relation to one another.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the shoe and wedge member in assembled relation to one another.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is the shoe and wedge member having a supporting leg attached thereto and mounted on a supporting I-beam.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIGS. 1-6 the device of the present invention comprises a shoe generally indicated at 10 comprising side wall members 12 and 14 and base members 16. Each of the side wall members and the base member includes at least one aperture 18, and 21 respectively which form attaching means for con necting a leg 22 in proper position within the shoe. A detailed description of the function and relative position of leg 22 relative to the remaining portion of the device will be described in detail hereinafter with specific reference to FIG. 7.

The shoe further includes connecting means in the form of brackets 24 and 26 mounted on opposite sides of the base of the shoe. Each bracket includes a specifically configured connecting flange shaped to define a separate channel 28 and 30 respectively which are designed to partially enclose and movably engage opposite edges 34 and 36 of the support flange 37 which includes a top surface generally indicated at 32.

The wedge member serves as a shoe supporting means and movably engages the undersurface of base 16 in supporting relation thereto. Brackets 24 and 26 serve to maintain the shoe and wedge in proper relation to one another by virtue of their movable engagement with the edges 34 and 36 respectively.

A rib 38 is mounted on the undersurface of flange 37 and serves to add both strength to the wedge member and to movably engage the correspondingly positioned surface of an l-beam on which the device is mounted. The rib 38 is arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of flange 37 and includes surface 42 which is angularly arranged relative to the plane of flange 37. Surface 42 frictionally engages, in movable relation thereto, the upper surface of the lower flange of the I- beam on which the device is mounted, as previously explained. Depending flange 44 is arranged in substantially perpendicular relation to flange 37 and is also connected to rib 38. This flange serves to present a surface by which the wedge may be inserted or removed from a sandwiched-like position between the supporting flange of the I-beam and the undersurface of the shoe itself.

Turning to FIG. 7 leg 22 is mounted between side wall members 12 and 14 and rests on the upper surface of base 16. It is maintained in this position by means of nails which extend through apertures 18, 20 and 21 as shown. The I-beam 48 includes a lower flange which cooperates with the wedge member such that the wedge member is driven inwardly thereby causing an upward force on the shoe 10 and leg 22. The upper extremity of leg 22 is positioned in supporting relation to joist 50 which is thereby maintained in weight supporting relation to a concrete pour or slab as indicated. The joist itself is essentially wedged" underneath the upper flange ofl-beam 48 as shown. The wedge may be positioned by pressure being placed on flange 44 and similarly the wedge may be removed by an outward flange being applied to flange 44.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:

l. A joist supporting device of the type designed to be used in combination with a supporting leg member, said device comprising: a shoe, shoe support means movably engaging said shoe, connecting means mounted on said shoe in interconnecting relation between said shoe and said shoe support means, said shoe supporting means comprising a wedge member including a support flange, said support flange including at least one surface arranged in sliding engagement with a correspondingly positioned surface of said shoe, said wedge member including a supporting rib formed on an undersurface of said support flange in opposed relation to said one surface, said rib disposed in substantially perpendicular relation to both said one surface and extending substantially along the length thereof, connecting means comprising a bracket formed on said shoe and comprising oppositely disposed connecting flanges, each of said flanges defining channel means therein each of said channel means arranged on said shoe so as to slidingly engage oppositely disposed portions of said wedge member, whereby said shoe is movably mounted on said wedge member; and detachment means on said shoe member for connecting the leg to the shoe member, whereby shoe supporting means is positionable on a supporting surface so as to move the leg in joist supporting position.

2. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 further comprising a depending flange formed on said support flange at one extremity thereof and connected to said support rib, whereby positioning of said flange occurs by manipulation of said depending flange.

3. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein each of said connecting flanges is defined by a different longitudinal dimension, one of said connecting flanges being longer then the other and extending along a major portion of one edge of said support flange.

4. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 further comprising locking means mounted on said shoe supporting means in engagable relation to said shoe, whereby said shoe is prevented from being disengaged from said shoe support means upon engaging said locking means.

5. A joist supporting device as in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises a weld bead integrally formed on one extremity of said shoe support means and positioned in the path-of said movably mounted shoe.

6. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises at least one aperture formed in said shoe, said one aperture arranged adjacent the leg mounted within said shoe, whereby fastening means extending through said aperture will penetrate the leg.

7. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of apertures arranged in cooperative relation to one another and adjacent the leg mounted on said shoe, whereby fastening means extending through each of said apertures penetrate the leg thereby positioning it relative to said shoe.

8. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said shoe comprises a base portion and at least one side wall member depending from said base, said base arranged in movable engagement with said shoe supporting member, said one side wall member positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the leg mounted on said shoe thereby positioning the leg in supporting relation to the joist. 

1. A joist supporting device of the type designed to be used in combination with a supporting leg member, said device comprising: a shoe, shoe support means movably engaging said shoe, connecting means mounted on said shoe in interconnecting relation between said shoe and said shoe support means, said shoe supporting means comprising a wedge member including a support flange, said support flange including at least one surface arranged in sliding engagement with a correspondingly positioned surface of said shoe, said wedge member including a supporting rib formed on an undersurface of said support flange in opposed relation to said one surface, said rib disposed in substantially perpendicular relation to both said one surface and extending substantially along the length thereof, connecting means comprising a bracket formed on said shoe and comprising oppositely disposed connecting flanges, each of said flanges defining channel means therein each of said channel means arranged on said shoe so as to slidingly engage oppositely disposed portions of said wedge member, whereby said shoe is movably mounted on said wedge member; and detachment means on said shoe member for connecting the leg to the shoe member, whereby shoe supporting means is positionable on a supporting surface so as to move the leg in joist supporting position.
 2. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 further comprising a depending flange formed on said support flange at one extremity thereof and connected to said support rib, whereby positioning of said flange occurs by manipulation of said depending flange.
 3. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein each of said connecting flanges is defined by a different longitudinal dimension, one of said connecting flanges being longer then the other and extending along a major portion of one edge of said support flange.
 4. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 further comprising locking means mounted on said shoe supporting means in engagable relation to said shoe, whereby said shoe is prevented from being disengaged from said shoe support means upon engaging said locking means.
 5. A joist supporting device as in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises a weld bead integrally formed on one extremity of said shoe support means and positioned in the path of said movably mounted shoe.
 6. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises at least one aperture formed in said shoe, said one aperture arranged adjacent the leg mounted within said shoe, whereby fastening means extending through said aperture will penetrate the leg.
 7. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said attachment means comprises a plurality of apertures arranged in cooperative relation to one another and adjacent the leg mounted on said shoe, whereby fastening means extending through each of said apertures penetrate the leg thereby positioning it relative to said shoe.
 8. A joist supporting device as in claim 1 wherein said shoe comprises a base portion and at least one side wall member depending from said base, said base arranged in movable engagement with said shoe supporting member, said one side wall member positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the leg mounted on said shoe thereby positioning the leg in supporting relation to the joist. 